Dental chair.



No. 650,042. Patentedv May 22, |900.

A. L. Gli-MER. DENTAL CHAIR. (Applicgtiq med :my 2s, 1899.)

2 Sheets--Sheel No. 650,042. f vaunted May22, |900. A. L. GILLMER.DENTAL. cima.

(Applicatiqn-led July 26, 1899.) (no Model.) shuts-Sheet 2.

YN: nmms frans co. Pworammo.. wAsmucTou. o. c;

Nrrn STATES `PATENTa rricn.

ABRAHAM r.. Gimme, or ALAMosA, cotonnno.

uENTAL CHAIR.

srncrrrcarriv forming paie of Letters Patent Nd. eo,o42`, dated May 22,1900;

l Application tiled July 26, 1899. Serial No. 7253188. (No model.)

T0 a/ZZ wwm it may conce/"it:

Be it known that I, ABRAHAM L. GILMER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Alamosa, in the county of Conejos and State of Colorado,have invented a new and useful Dental Chair., of which the following isa speci- :fication.

This invention relates to dental chairs; and one object of the same isto provide a device of this character adapted to be folded in compactform for convenience in transportation from one point to another toaccommodate an itinerant or traveling dentist or one having a practiceextending over a large territory, and particularly in suburbandistricts, where it is necessary to make residential visits to patients,and for this purpose also to preserve a lightness of structure of astrong and durable nature and hold all the parts intact, so that theymay be always ready for arrangement in setting up the chair in operativecondition.

Further objects and advantages will appear in the subjoined description,as well as the novel structural features, which will be set forth in theclaims, and the preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of adental chair embodying the invention and shown in operative position.Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal vertical section of the same. Fig. 3

is an edge elevation or side view of the chair shown folded; Fig. et isa detail elevation of a part of the latter. Fig. 5 is a rear elevationof the head-rest attachment.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate correspondingparts in the several views.

The numeral 1 designates front legs having secured thereto adjacent theupper ends ears 2, which are pivot-ally connected to the upper terminalsof rear legs 3, having casters 4 attached to their lower terminals. Thelegs 1 are longer than the legs 3 and normally stand forward aconsiderable distance to provide a stable support or balance for theentire device, andby means of adjusting devices in part operable withboth pairs of legs, which will be presently described, the verticalelevation of the chair may be varied. The upper terminals of the legs 1are pivotally mounted 4thereon and also a crank-handle 21.

on outstanding studs 5, carried by depending brackets 6, fixed to theopposite sides and on the under portion of a seat 7. This seat 7 will tpreferably have a fiat upholsterin g to avoid ob` struction to a closefolding of the parts, and to the rear end thereof a back 8 is hinged orotherwise movably connected. From oppo.

site side edges of the seat 7, adjacent the front end, a series ofheaded studs 9 project outwardly, and at a predetermined point on eachside edge of the back 8 a single-headedy bars are applied to the seatand back the upper edges will stand in ahorizontal plane, or nearly so.The slots 13 are fitted over the headed studs 10 on theback 8, and theslots 14 are intended to receive the shanks of the studs 9, the changeof attachment of the front terminals of the bars 12 being made inaccordance with the angle of the back S, and

when folded the arms 11 hang down from the studs 10, being firstdisconnected from the studs 9, and thus avoid interference with thefolding of the back on the seat. The said arms 11 hold the back S at theangle of adjustment desired relatively to the seat 7, and the pressureagainst the back while the seat is occupied will prevent accidentaldisconnection of the said arms.

The legs 1 are braced and held in parallel relation by upper andV lowerrounds 16 and 17, and to the lower round 17 the front ends of a pair ofadjusting ropes, cables, or analogous devices 18 are attached and extendrearward to a winding-rod 19, rotatably mounted in the rear legs 3. Theouter end of the rod 19 at one side has a ratchet-wheel 2O fixed The endof the rod having the ratchet-wheel 20 thereon extends through ametallic plate 22 on the exterior side of the legs 3, giving bearing tothe said rod at this point, and pivotally connected to the said. plateis a pawl 23, having a IOO nose to fit the teeth of the ratchet-whee120and also provided vwith'arear proj ection24 to `form means orreleasingthe pawl from'theteeth of the ratchet and against the resistance of aspring 25, which holds the nose `of thepawl normally engaged with theratqhet-wheel.- By

vwinding the ropes, cables, or other '-devices. 18 on the rod 19 thelegs l are drawn nearer toward the legs 3 and the seat 7 iscorrespondingly elevated, as well as the remainingyparts in connectiontherewith. By releasing the pawl 23 from `the ratchet-wheel20 theropesfV cables, or other devices-13 maybe equally unwou nd from the rod19 and the legs-1 -spread apart a greater distance from the legs 3, and,thereby lower the seat .7 and other parts in 'This adjustmentV isveryadva'n'tageous in raising or loweringthe connection .therewithpatient occupying'the chair to vaccommodate particular operations orvariations'inthe staturegorsizeofTbothgpatient and operator. "ThelegsB'a-re'also rigidly braced and held 'in parv allelwrelation byyupper and lowerroundsZG and,27,the round 26 having a pair of spacedlintermediate rounds28 extending therefrom andj-toan enlarged transversesupport 29, also having 'its `opposite Vends iixed tothe legs`3.f

Toftlregssupport29 a retainer30issecuredand comprises'. aforwardlyeprojecting keeper 31, l

havingf;-a'slot 32 opening out one-side thereo`f,land'thereby .forminganl outer hook 'l-fh'einner-edge Vof xthe'hook'33, adjacent-theVterminalfthereof, is recessed,sas at 34,-to provide :a 'limiting-stopfor the free end of platejspring'35,5secured to Van adjacent portiono`f-'the"support`29. ',Thelrfree endofft-he spring '35 `is'formed withaslot 36, which extendslOngitudUaIly-Of .-thespring and is, it-k"tedioverth'e `h'ook 33, said -slot'being of less, length "than thedistance between .the un-i broken l*edge .of .the keeper 3l andthe vfreeendfofthe said hook 'to prevent the spring Vfro'mfbecomingdisconnected'from'th'e keeper." Therefore vit will .be understood thatY'the'v spring is; appliedto the keeper before-itisse-4 curedito v.theksupport 29, andtheterminal of thess'liot36 nearest the .free end-of'thefhook 33 bears .-against'the limiting-stop provided Abytherecess"34m/hen said "spring 'is projects ed outwardly and isv thus.braced iinits operation.` The retainein30.coperates with :and

servesas a lock for an adjustabletiltingbary 37,`-havingits upper 'endpivotally'attached j 'itc about thecenter of the lower-frontend-portiontof :the 'seat 7, as at 38. y"Fromfthe, poin't "of zitsfattachment to the -seat17 Vthe tilt-A ingbariisof-suzc'h longitudinal contouras vto ez'ctendfrearwardtoward .the support29. and

has :an intermediate straight locking portionk rearfedge,=the.lowemnostoneflbeing 'deepen The unattached rear ex th-anlthose'above.

is movable through 'thekeeper 3l', and the notches or slots '40 are`adapted to 'fit over the rear Wall of the slot '32 and hold 'thetilting bar in adjusted position, separationv of the bar from the waliset forth being prevented by the pressure of the spring 35 against thefront edge of said bar. The bar 37 has a slight lateral play in View ofits length, and by making the pivotal connection to the seat 7 thereofslightly loose and in'folding the parts of the chair it is necessary todetach or disengage said bar from the keeper 3l, and to accomplish 4thisthe said bar'is elevated until the lower :notchor slot l1 is in linewith .the parts of the keeper,which permits a clearance by reason of thefact that the length of the said lower notch or slot is greater thanlthe distance between theplaneofthefree end ofthe spring and the ,rear.portion-of the keeper, and by this means'the spring .willre- -mainundisturbed at -all 4times relatively to Athe said keeper, but the bar37 can be quickly detached from or rearranged in the retainer.

To 4the lower .portionsof -the legs .1.a -foot- ;rest 42is hinged orpivotally connected, and lto the under side, ad j acent oppositeends,ran guiar supports 43 areffas'tenedtobear against -the adjacentedges-of vthe saidlegs andhold :the footrest atta proper'angle. Thisfoot rest will be vapplied to vthe -legs 1 at such a -fpoint thatpersonsof average stature oreven greater can be vcomfortablyaccommodated. lt is necessary also to makeprovision kforeperating uponchildren or `Vvpersonsof lsmall stature, and consequently :an yauxiliaryrest .44 ishinged tothe outer edge of Athe-rest :4:2ct and normallysupported at an upward -angle to the latter, asishown by Fig. l.-Whenfin this position, vthesaidauxiliary.rest imay be IOC nearer to theseat 7 'therest 2a is draw-mupwardly, as shown lbyiFig2,land`thegaufx'iliary rest Methrcwn over, .the jpartsrb eingheld in thispositionlby:meansof arms 45,.having hooked ends 46 ,removably ittedover'the round 16. In this latter arrangement the under sideof theauxiliaryrestfettas shown arranged fin 1becomesthe support for IIO the feet. ofthe patient, and .without-the luse i tweenthe legsfan'd avoidobjectionable `eXteriorprojections. i

An Vadjustable head-rest `is supported'by thenpper central portionvofthe back Sand comprises an `angle-support 4 7, .fastened to `thebackan'dcarrying aneye 48 which lis in a plane .parallel ,with the4 securingVmember'of the. said angle-support. This `,positions l:the l openingthrough the,^eye 48 ina transverse direction, and therein is mounted aneyebolt 49, having the screw-shank 50 thereof supplied with a clampingnut or collar 51. The eye member of the eyebolt 49 is larger than theeye 48, carried by the angle-support 47. By this is meant that the saideye member of the eyebolt is of greater dimension than the opening ofthe said eye 48, so that a firm clamping may be effected between thesaid parts. Adjustably mounted in the eyebolt is the straight shank 52of a head-rest rod having an upper curved terminal 53, on whichy isadjustably tted a collar 54, provided with a lug extension 55, connectedto the central bowed portion of a yoke 56. The said collar 54 can beeasily moved on the curved terminal 53 in opposite directions Withincertain limitations, and thus change the angle of the yoke 56. Tosustain the 'angle of adjustment of the yoke 5G through the movement ofthe collar 54 on the terminal 53, a set-screw 57 is mounted in saidcollar and adapted to bind against the said terminal. The opposite arms58 of the yoke 56 are provided with longitudinal slots 59 adjacent theirfree ends to adj ustably receive the center pins or studs GO of cushions6l, said center pins or studs 60 being screw-threaded and receive nutsor analogous clamping devices 62. The said cushions Gl are circular inform, as shown, but their contour can be varied and are also suitablyupholstered. The cushions 61 form a rest for the head of the patient andare adjustable to and from each other to conform to the contour of the.back of the head or to prop and hold the head in a position mostconvenient for the operator. Through the adjustment of the yoke 56 onthe terminal 53 the angle of the head of the patient can be regulated,and, furthermore, by moving the shank 52 vertically in the eye member ofthe eyebolt 49 by first loosening the clamping nut or collar 51 theelevation of the cushions above the top edge of the back 8 can beconveniently regulated. After the adjustment of the shank 52 has beenobtained and as desired the clamping nut or collar 51 is tightenedagainst the eye 48, thus drawing the eye member of the eyebolt 49closely against the opposite side of the said eye 48 and clamping theadjacent portion of the shank above and below the eye member of theeyebolt and effectng a rigid seeurement.

In folding the chair and arranging it as shown by Fig. 3 the legs l and3 are drawn together, the arms 11 detached at their front ends, the back8 folded down on the seat 7, and said back and seat then swung forwardon the legs 1, all of which is permitted after the bar 37 is firstdisconnected from the re tainer 30, and finally the rests 42 and 44 arealso folded over on the legs 1. The legs 1 and 3 are held closelytogether by winding the ropes, cables, or other devices 18 on the rod19, and the remaining folded portions may be held closely againstadjacent parts by a suitable binding or other means.

In this folded form the chair can be easily carried from one place toanother either manually or be temporarily stored in a part of a vehicle.When the back and seat are folded down on the legs 1, it is preferredthat the foot-rest 42a and the auxiliary rest 44 will have been rstbrought up against the said legs, so that the under side of the saidrest 4?:L will stand outermost and provide a receptacle for the cushionsGl of the head-rest through the medium of the supports 43 at theopposite under end Vportions of the said rest 42".` In rearranging thechair for use the parts can be quickly adjusted and the tilting bar 37connected up to the retainer 30.

The attachments usually employed in connection with dental chairs forholding extraneous devices can be applied at will, and as an evidence ofthisacuspidor-holder 63 is movably attached to one side of the seat 7and comprises -a fork, into which a cuspidor maybe easily inserted andreadily withdrawn. When the said cuspidor-holder 63 is not in use or atthe time that the chair is folded, it can be pushed under the seat 7 andout-of the Way.

Many advantages will appear from time to time to those using the device,and it is obviousl y apparent that changes in the proportions, size, andminor details can be resorted' to Without departing from the spirit orsacriicin g any of the advantages of the invention.

Havingthus described the invention, what is claimed as new isl. In adental chair, the combination ofV front and rear pairs of legs attachedto each other, a seat mounted on a portion of the legs,

and having a back, a foot-rest movably at-V seat having a back, frontand rear pairs ofA legs, to which'the said seat is attached, and afoot-rest hinged to the front legs and having an auxiliary adjustablemember provided with hook-arms adapted to be connected to the said frontlegs.

3. In a dental chair of the character set forth, the combination offront and rear pairs of legs pivotally connected, a seat movablyattached to the front pair of legs and having a back, means foradjusting the legs toward each other, a retainer on the rear pair oflegs, and a tilting bar pivotally connectedto the seat and adjustable inand removable from the said retainer.

4. In a dental chair of the character set forth, the combination offront and rear pairs of legs pivotally attached to each other, a seatadjustably supported by one pair of said legs solely, the said legsbeing movable toward or away from each other, to vary the elevation ofsaid seat, a back movably attached IIO IZO

to the seat, and means fortilting the seatQex;` tending from the frontof the latterhandengagingwith the rear pair of legs only.

5. fIn adent-al chair of the character -set' forth, the combination offr`ont and rear pairs of legsfmovably attached to each other, a seatmovably'supported by a pair of said legs, a

keeper projecting from the remaining por-V tionof the said legsandhaving a slot in-'one side, a lspring extending across and fittingover afportion of the keeper, and a tilting barhaving'itsupper endpivotally attached to At-heseat and a portion thereof movable throughthe keeper, said portion of the *tilt` ingbar movable through the keeperhaving notches or slots in the rear edge, the lowermost one of which isdeeper than those above.

6. In a dental chair of the character set forth, the combination offront and-rear pairs -of legs pivotally connected to each Iother, la

seatmovably attached to the 'front pair lof legs andhaving aback, akeeper 'projecting forwardly from the rear pair of legs, a springapplied over a part of the said keeper, Vanda tilting bar movablyconnected to the said seat and having aport-ion vertically shiftablethrough the keeper against the resistance ofV thesaid spring.

` V'7. 'In-a dental chair of the character Vset forth, the combinationof front and rearppairs,Y

of legs pivotally lsecured to eachother inadj-ustable relation, a seatmovably attached tov thefront-,pair of legs and having-a back ad-`justably connected thereto, .a tilting device` connected to lthe seat,and a retainer supported by one pair of legs, the said tilting def vicebeing adjustable in and detachable from the retainer, whereby all theparts maybeclosely folded in compact form.

S. -In'a'dentalchair of the character set h forth, ltheVcornbinationoffaffrontvp'air Yof legs,

a rear ,pairo'f -legs pivotally connected tothe front pair-of legs, yaseat movably supported by andf'abovetheffrontpair-of legs and-adapted tobe held in tilted adjustmentfa 'back movably attached tothe said seat,the back being foldablefonthe seatand thetwo latterV parts movable downover theffront legsand bear onthe latter,-a footlre'strfoldably mountedon the front legs, and means for holding the legs in close contact whenfolded.

9. 'In a dental chain of the character set forth, the combination vof'front legs, rear legs `pivotally attached thereto, a; seat, a foot-rest`movably connected to the front legsand having an auxiliaryfhinged tothe outer edge thereof, and providedwith hooked arms adapted tol beconnectedfto a portion ofthe legs to thereby hold the auxiliaryin'position foruse as a rest.

.10. Ina dental chair of the character set forth, the 'combination ofl'front legs, rearlegs `pivotally attached thereto, a seat movably `randsolely connected to the upper extrerni- Eties of the front Vlegs andhaving a back, means forgivingthe -seat'an independentan gularadjustment, a winding-.rod :mounted in the rear legs,anda'flexibleWindin g device extending from opposite portions of -the said`Winding-rod to :the front legs, whereby the said legs may beadjnsted tovary the eleva- ;tion of the seat.

In testimony that yI- claim the foregoing as Lmy own I haveYheretofaiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

' ABRAHAM LGILMER.

Witnesses:

' M. BRUMBLY,

1F. J. BRUMBLY.

